Device and method for controlling a window or window shading device based on measurements and a setpoint

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device to control a window or a window shading device, based on at least indoor temperature or indoor humidity, and a temperature setpoint or a humidity setpoint. The devices of the invention have a number of interesting applications, such as the control of temperature or humidity in the room. The invention also discloses embodiments including the detection of the presence or absence of a human being in the room.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of Building ManagementSystems (BMS). More specifically, it relates to the automatic managementof window shading devices such as shutters, blinders, tents or curtainsin order to control an indoor temperature of a room or a building.

BACKGROUND PRIOR ART

Window shading devices encompass all devices whose state defines theamount of sunlight that enters a room through a window. Window shadingdevices may belong to a plurality of types, comprising for exampleblinders, shutters, louvers, curtains, and film shades. Window shadingdevices may be located for example at the exterior side of a window, atthe interior side of a window, or between two panes of a window.

Some window shading devices may have different states that allow, for asame window, letting more or less sunlight enter a room. For example, aroller blind can roll, usually from the top to the bottom of the window,in order to cover a variable fraction of the window, and thus let avariable fraction of sunlight enter the room. The same principle appliesto rolling shutters or rolling film shades. Similarly, certain windowblinds are composed by a plurality of parallel slats, having a variableslat angle with the window. The variable slat angle also defines avariable fraction of sunlight that enters the room. The SmartTint® filmprovides another solution of multi-state window shading device. TheSmartTint® film is a film that covers all the surface of a window, andis remotely controlled to be either in an ON state wherein it is opaque,or an OFF state wherein it is transparent.

Window shading devices with variable states have a number of interestingapplications. For example, they may define a variable privacy of a room,by being set in an opaque state when privacy is demanded, and atransparent state otherwise. They may also be a very cheap and energyefficient tool to control indoor temperature of a room. For example,such window shading device may be set to an opaque state, and thus letfew or no sunlight enter the room if the temperature of a room isalready high. Thus the room is not heated by solar radiation.Conversely, the window shading device may be set to a transparent state,and thus let the highest possible amount of sunlight enter and heat theroom if the temperature of the room is low. The room thus can be heatedby the highest possible amount of solar radiation.

The evolution of the temperature of a room depends mostly of a number offactors. The first one is the thermal capacity of the room. The thermalcapacity defines the amount of heat that the room needs to receive inorder to have its temperature increased by 1°. The second one is theheat exchange with the outdoor. The contribution of heat exchange toroom temperature variation depends mainly on the indoor temperature, theoutdoor temperature, the surface of the walls between the indoor and theoutdoor, the isolation of the walls and the thermal capacity of theroom. The third factor is the quantity of heat brought by a heatingdevice (or conversely the quantity of heat removed by a cooling deviceor an air-conditioning device). This depends mainly of the heating orcooling power provided by the device, and the thermal capacity of theroom. The fourth factor is the radiation heating provided by sunlight.Radiation heating is caused by sunlight entering the room throughwindows, and heating the surfaces that it illuminates. Other factors maybe taken into account, for example, the presence of one or more humanbeings in the room, or heat exchanges with other rooms of the building.

Radiation heating of sunlight is a powerful source of room heating, andcan be controlled by the state of window shading devices. Indeed, thestate of a window shading device modifies the amount of sunlight thatenters the room, and thus the surface that is heated by sunlight and theamount of heating power that is provided. The control of the state ofwindow shading devices thus contributes to the controlling of thetemperature of the room.

An increasing number of devices allow automatically controlling thetemperature of a room. For example, thermostat devices allowautomatically starting and stopping the operation of heating, cooling orair-conditioning devices in order that a room is always as close aspossible to one or more temperature setpoints that are considered aspleasant temperatures. However, the intensive use of heating, cooling orair-conditioning can be costly or very energy intensive. Consequently,it would thus be advantageous to use window shading devices acomplementary, or replacement, solution to a heating device to heat aroom, in order to limit the power consumed by the heating, cooling orair conditioning device.

Since window shading devices are far less costly to operate and energydemanding than heating, cooling or air-conditioning devices, it isdesirable and advantageous to obtain a control of the temperature of aroom as accurate as possible using window shading devices. However,because of the high number of factors impacting the evolution of thetemperature of a room, this is a difficult problem to solve. Moreover,different characteristics of each room (size, volume, surface,orientation, isolation, number of windows, size of the windows, type ofwindow shading devices . . . ) generate different responses of each roomto temperature variation, sunlight radiation and heating equipment.

There is a number of cases wherein there is a need to lower the humidityon a room. For example, when a user just took a shower in a bathroom,the bathroom is usually very wet, and the level of humidity needs toquickly drop, in order to avoid damages due to humidity, such asmoistures, in the room. Moreover, a persistent humidity in a room mayprovoke an uncomfortable sensation for users of the bathroom. Opening orclosing a window may allows controlling the concentration of CO₂ in theroom. However a manual control of the window may be difficult.

There is therefore the need for a device that allows automaticallycontrolling the temperature of a room by setting the state of one ormore window shading devices, that provides a reliable and energyefficient control of the temperature and can be automatically tailoredto any possible room. There is also the need for a device that allowsautomatically controlling the humidity or concentration of CO₂ of a roomby setting the state of one or more windows in the room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this effect, the invention discloses a device to control one or morewindow shading devices in a room, the device comprising: one or moreinput ports configured to a receive one or more temperature setpoints,measurements from a temperature sensor inside the room, and values of anoutdoor temperature outside the room; an output port configured to sendcommands to the one or more window shading devices; a processing logicconfigured to calculate commands to define one or more states of saidone or more window shading devices based on said one or more temperaturesetpoints, said measurements, said values and a room temperature model.

Advantageously, the room temperature model comprises parametersrepresentative of: a thermal capacity of the room; a heat transfercoefficient between the inside and the outside of the room; timedpredictions of solar radiation.

Advantageously, said processing logic is configured to calculatepredictions of input solar power based on said timed predictions ofsolar radiation and predictions of values of a radiation coefficientdepending on predictions of the state of said one or more window shadingdevice.

Advantageously, said processing logic is configured to calculate saidpredictions of input solar radiation based on an orientation of theroom, a physical characteristics of one or more a window, the room orfurniture of the room, and predictions of sun position.

Advantageously, the room temperature model further comprises timedpredictions of input heating power.

Advantageously, the device is further configured to send said commandsto define one or more states of said one or more window shading devicesbased on a detection of the presence of a human in the room.

Advantageously, said one or more input ports are further configured toreceive measurements of a concentration of CO₂ from a concentration ofCO₂ sensor located in the room, and said processing logic is configuredto assess a presence of a human in the room based on the measurements ofthe concentration of CO₂ in the room.

Advantageously, said one or more input ports are further configured toreceive luminosity measurements from a luminosity sensor in the room,and said processing logic is configured to assess a presence of a humanin the room based on evaluating whether the luminosity measurements arerepresentative of a source of artificial light.

Advantageously, parameters of the room temperature model are determinedduring a training phase.

Advantageously, the device comprises a network connection, and isconfigured to send at least measurements of indoor temperature to aserver using said network connection, and receive values of saidparameters of the room temperature model from said server using saidnetwork connection.

Advantageously, the training phase comprises calculating a ratio betweenthe thermal capacity of the room and the heat transfer coefficientbetween the inside and the outside of the room based on values of theoutdoor temperature of the room, and measurements of indoor temperaturefrom the temperature sensor inside the room.

Advantageously, the training phase further comprises calculating thethermal capacity of the room and the heat transfer coefficient betweenthe inside and the outside of the room based on said ratio, values ofthe outdoor temperature of the room, measurements of indoor temperaturefrom the temperature sensor inside the room and estimations of inputheating power.

The invention also discloses a server configured to: receive at leastmeasurements of indoor temperature of a room measured by a temperaturesensor inside the room, and values of an outdoor temperature of theroom; calculate parameters of a room model based at least on saidmeasurements of indoor temperature of a room, and said values of theoutdoor temperature of the room; send said parameters to a devicecomprising: one or more input ports configured to a receive one or moretemperature setpoints, measurements from said temperature sensor insidethe room and values of said outdoor temperature outside the room; anoutput port configured to send commands to the one or more windowshading devices; a processing logic configured to calculate commands todefine one or more states of said one or more window shading devicesbased on said one or more temperature setpoints, said measurements, saidvalues and a room temperature model parameters using said parameters.

The invention also discloses a method to control the temperature of aroom according to one or more temperature setpoints, said methodcomprising: receiving measurements of an indoor temperature of the roommeasured by one or more temperature sensors inside the room; receivingvalues of an outdoor temperature of the room; calculating commands todefine one or more states of one or more window shading devices based onsaid temperature setpoint and a room temperature model.

The invention also discloses a device to control one or more windows ina room, the device comprising: one or more input ports to receive one ormore setpoints of a physical field, and indoor measurements of thephysical field from a sensor inside the room; an output port configuredto send commands to the one or more windows; a processing logicconfigured to calculate commands to define one or more states of saidone or more windows based at least on said one or more setpoints of thephysical field, and said indoor measurements of the physical field.

Advantageously, the processing logic is further configured to calculatecommands to define one or more states of said one or more windows basedon a detection of one of a presence or an absence of a human being inthe room.

Advantageously, the processing logic is configured to calculate commandsto set one or more states of said one or more windows to an open state,if the indoor measurements of the physical field are above the one ormore setpoints of the physical filed, and the absence of a human beingin the room is detected.

Advantageously, the processing logic is configured to calculate anopening duration, based at least on the indoor measurements of thephysical field, and one of an outside humidity or an outsidetemperature.

Advantageously, the processing logic is further configured to calculatecommands to close the window, if the indoor measurements of the physicalfield are below the one or more humidity setpoints of the physicalfield.

Advantageously, said physical field is humidity, and said sensor is ahumidity sensor.

Advantageously, said physical field is a concentration of CO₂, and saidsensor is a concentration of CO₂ sensor.

The invention also discloses a method to control a physical field in aroom according to one or more setpoints of the physical field, saidmethod comprising: receiving indoor measurements of the physical fieldfrom a sensor inside the room; calculating commands to define one ormore states of one or more windows based at least on said one or moresetpoints of the physical field, said indoor measurements of a physicalfield.

The invention allows an effective and energy efficient control of thetemperature of a room.

The invention allows controlling the temperature of a room by commandingany type of window shading device.

The temperature control of the invention can be easily tailored to bestfit the characteristics of any room.

The temperature control may be further enhanced using a training phaseto define the best parameters for a room.

A device of the invention may run even with limited computingcapacities.

The device of the invention may further adapt the control window shadingdevices based on a detection of the presence or absence of human beingsin the room.

The invention allows controlling the humidity of a room, for example tolet a shower room dry once a user has taken a shower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and its various features andadvantages will emerge from the following description of a number ofexemplary embodiments and its appended figures in which:

FIG. 1 displays an example of a room comprising windows, window shadingdevices, and a device configured to control the temperature and/orhumidity of the room in a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 displays an example of a sensor arrangement to measure physicalparameters of a room in a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 displays an example of a system for controlling one or morewindows or window shading devices in a number of embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 4 displays an example of a device to control one or more windowshading devices in a room in a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 displays an example of parameters of a model to calculatecommands to define the state of said one or more window shading devicesin a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 displays an example of a model to calculate commands to definethe state of said one or more window shading devices in a number ofembodiments of the invention;

FIGS. 7a and 7b displays two examples of evolution of the indoortemperature of a room comprising a device in an embodiment of theinvention, respectively in summer and winter;

FIG. 8 displays a flowchart of a method to control the temperature of aroom in a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9 displays an example of a device to control one or more windows ina room in a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 10 displays an example of decision tree to control one or morewindows in a room in a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 11 displays an example of evolution of humidity in a room in anumber of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 12 displays an example of a flowchart of a method to control thehumidity of a room in a number of embodiments of the invention;

FIGS. 13a and 13b display two examples of detection of the presence of ahuman in a room, respectively using a concentration of CO₂ and lightintensity, in a number of embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 displays an example of a room comprising windows, window shadingdevices, and a device configured to control the temperature or humidityof the room in a number of embodiments of the invention.

The room 100 comprises vertical windows 110, 111, and roof windows 120,121, 122, 123, 124, 125. The roof windows are equipped with windowshading devices, in this example adjustable blinders 130, 131, 132, 133,134, 135. The positions of the blinders 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135allow more or less sunlight entering the room, and thus modify theamount of input solar radiation that may heat the room. The room alsocomprises a heater 140. A user 150 uses a remote control 160 that maycontrol devices that have an impact on the temperature of the room, forexample the blinders 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, or the heater 140. Ina number of embodiments of the invention, the remote control 160 mayalso control a state of one or more of the vertical windows 110, 111, orthe roof windows 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125. For example it maycontrol a state (Open/Closed) of a window, or an angle of opening. Insome embodiments, a plurality of remote controls may be used to controlthe different equipments of the room.

The room also comprises one or more sensor arrangements, for example thesensor arrangement 170 and/or the sensor arrangement 171. These sensorarrangements may be placed in different places in the room, for exampleon a wall in the case of the device 170, or below the windows in thecase of the device 171. They may also comprise sensors such asluminosity sensor(s), temperature sensor(s), humidity sensor(s), or CO₂concentration sensor(s). The sensor arrangements 170 and 171 may beconfigured to communicate with the remote control 160, for exampleusing. a wired or radio connection such as Zigbee, Wifi, Bluetooth . . .

This communication link may for example be used by the sensorarrangements 170 or 171 to send measurements, for example temperaturemeasurements, to the remote control 160 or to another device connectedto the network. The network may comprise a gateway to send themeasurements to a server through an access to the Internet. In otherembodiments of the invention, the remote control and temperature sensorsare packaged within a single arrangement. In other embodiments of theinvention, the sensors and remote control are packaged within the samehousing, either a fixed housing 170 or 171, or in a portable device ifthe sensors are located within the remote control 160.

FIG. 2 displays an example of a sensor arrangement to measure physicalparameters of a room in a number of embodiments of the invention.

The sensor arrangement 200 comprises one or more of sensors. In a numberof embodiments of the invention, the sensor arrangement 200 comprisesone or more sensors in a group comprising a temperature sensor 210, aluminosity sensor 211, a CO₂ sensor 212, or a humidity sensor 213. In anumber of embodiments of the invention, the sensor arrangement 200comprises additional sensors, such as a sound meter or a barometer.

The luminosity sensor 211 may be any sensor that allows convertingluminosity into a signal, such as a sensor comprising photodiodes,phototransistors, optosensors, ALS (Ambient Light Sensing) sensors.These sensors generate a signal whose intensity or frequency depends onthe intensity of the sensed luminosity. The luminosity sensor may beconfigured to sense luminosity for a single wavelength, a plurality ofwavelengths, a range of wavelengths, or a plurality of ranges ofwavelengths.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the luminosity measurementsare first obtained in the form of a signal, for example a electricsignal. In a number of embodiments of the invention, the electric signalis first amplified using a gain. In a number of embodiments of theinvention, a fixed gain is applied to convert the signal into luminosityvalues. In other embodiments of the invention, a variable gain isapplied, while avoiding a saturation of the signal at the output of theamplification. In an embodiment of the invention, a strong gain isinitially set, then, if the signal at the output of the sensor issaturated, the luminosity sensor 211 is configured to lower the gainuntil the signal is not saturated anymore. This allows tailoring thegain of the luminosity sensor to the actual luminosity of theenvironment of the luminosity sensor, in order to have a full range ofluminosity measurements, without saturation of the signal of theluminosity sensor. The intensity or frequency of the signal is thenconverted into luminosity values, usually in Lux.

The device 200 comprises a source of electrical power, for example 3 AAbatteries 230. According to various embodiments of the invention, everysuitable source of electric power may be used, for example an electricaloutlet, or a battery that is charged using a solar panel.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the sensor arrangement alsoserves as a remote control for window shading devices such as theblinders 130, 131, 132, 133, 134 and 135. For example, the buttons 240may be configured to generate commands to lower or rise the blinders130, 131, 132, 133, 134 and 135 when manually pressed by a user.Alternatively, the processing logic 220 is configured to automaticallycalculate commands of window shading devices according to at least atemperature of the room. In other aspects of the invention, one or moreof the buttons 240 or the processing logic 220 can be configured togenerate commands to open or close the windows. In order to transmit thecommands to the window shading devices or windows, the sensorarrangement 200 comprises one or more output ports 270 to send commandsto one or more window shading devices, or 271 to send commands to one ormore windows.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the sensor arrangement alsocomprises a communication link 250 to communicate with external devices.The communication link 250 may use any type of suitable port tocommunicate data with an external device 260, such as for example aBluetooth port, a radio antenna, a Wi-Fi antenna, or an Ethernet port.The communication with external devices may use any suitable type ofconnection, for example a device-to-device communication, acommunication using a wired or radio connection, or an Internetconnection. The external device 260 may be any device equipped withcommunication and computing capabilities, such as a server, aworkstation, a mobile device such as a tablet or a smartphone, or agateway. The external device may connect to the gateway connecting thesensors.

The sensor arrangement 200 also comprises a communication link to aprocessing logic. According to various embodiments of the invention, theprocessing logic may be a processor operating in accordance withsoftware instructions, a hardware configuration of a processor, or acombination thereof. It should be understood that any or all of thefunctions discussed herein may be implemented in a pure hardwareimplementation and/or by a processor operating in accordance withsoftware instructions. It should also be understood that any or allsoftware instructions may be stored in a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the sensor arrangement 200comprises a processing logic 220, and the communication link to aprocessing logic is an internal communication link to the processinglogic 220. In other embodiments of the invention, the processing logicis a processing logic 221 in the external device 260, and thecommunication link to the processing logic is the communication link 250to the external device 260, possibly through a gateway of the network.

The European patent application entitled “A sensor arrangement for usingluminosity measurements in a room”, filed the same day by the sameapplicant, discloses sensor arrangements that allow performing a numberof measurements, but also calculating an effective indoor temperaturethat is not biased by the effect of solar radiations on the temperaturesensor, or parameters that impact the effect of solar radiations to thetemperature of the room, or the way the solar radiations are sensed,such as the orientation of the room.

FIG. 3 displays an example of a system for controlling one or morewindows or window shading devices in a number of embodiments of theinvention.

The system 300 comprises one or more remote controls 360, 361 to controlone or more sets of windows 370, 371. The FIG. 3 displays two remotecontrols 370, 371. However, the invention is not limited to this case,and may apply to a single remote control, or more than two remotecontrols. Each remote control controls the state of one or more windowsor window shading devices 370, 371. In an embodiment of the invention,there is one remote control for each room wherein a window control isneeded that controls the state of each window or window shading devicein the room. In an embodiment of the invention, the remote controls 370,371 control the state of the windows, i.e whether the windows are openedor closed, a degree of openness of the windows, etc. . . . In someembodiments of the invention, the remote controls 370, 371 control thestate of window shading devices, in order to allow more or less sunlightto enter the room. According to various embodiments of the invention,the remote control(s) 360, 361 may control only the state of windows,only the state of window shading devices, or both the state of windowsand window shading devices. In the example depicted in FIG. 3, thewindows are roof windows equipped with shutters. However the inventionis not restricted to this example, and can be applied on any type ofwindow and window shading device.

In an embodiment of the invention, the remote controls 370, 371 alsocomprise sensors such as temperature, luminosity, humidity, CO₂concentration sensors. The remote controls can then be sensorarrangements such as the sensor arrangement 200, in an embodimentwherein it is also used as remote control. In other embodiments of theinvention, the remote control and sensor arrangements are separatedevices that may communicate either directly, or through a gateway 310.

The system 300 further comprises a gateway 310. The gateway is thecentral device of the system. The gateway is able to communicate withsensors and remote controls through a wired or a wireless connection,for example a radio or a Bluetooth connection. The gateway 310 can alsocomprise a processing logic to calculate commands to be sent to some orall of the devices in the system 300.

In an embodiment of the invention, the system 300 comprises a commandinterface 330 to send commands to the various devices of the systemthrough the gateway. The command interface 330 may, for example, beconfigured to allow a user entering a scenario of use to follow. Forexample, the user may enter a scenario “temperature control”, or“humidity control”. The command interface may also be configured to letthe user enter parameters of use of the system. For example, the usermay enter in the command interface 330 one or more temperature setpointsof a room. The command interface 330 may comprise any means to entercommands, such as a keyboard or a touch screen, and can be connected tothe gateway 310 through a wired or a wireless connection, for example aradio or a Bluetooth connection.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the system 300 comprises ainternet access 340. The internet access is connected to the gateway 310through a wired or a wireless connection, for example an Ethernet, aradio, a Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi or a Zigbee connection. The Internet accessis connected through the Internet to one or more servers 350. The one ormore servers 350 may be hardware or virtual servers, and may be part ofa larger infrastructure, accessed through a cloud computing service. Theone or more servers may for example be used to provide firmware updatesto the gateway 310, store preferences of the user or a history of use ofthe system 310. They can also be used to calculate parameters relativeto the use of the system 300. For example, the one or more servers 350can be used to calculate parameters of temperature or humidity models ofa room or a plurality of rooms in a building. This allows using acomputing power much higher than the computing power of the gateway 310.The one or more servers 350 can also be used to perform machine learningalgorithms on historical data from and for a large number of users, andthus tailor room temperature models according to large datasets ofhistorical values. The users may be identified in a number of differentmanners according to various embodiments of the invention. For example,the users may be defined according to a unique identifier of the gateway310.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the system 300 can alsoreceive commands from a mobile device 320. The mobile device 320 can befor example a smartphone or a tablet. The mobile device or tablet canrun a home control application. For example, an application allowssensing commands to the gateway, either directly using a wired or awireless connection, for example an Ethernet, a radio, a Bluetooth,Zigbee or a Wi-Fi connection, or by Internet through the one or moreservers 350. The commands to send to the gateway are similar to thosediscussed in relation to the command interface 330. The communicationcan also be bidirectional: in a number of embodiments of the invention,the gateway 310 is able to send to the mobile device measurements fromsensors within the system 300. These functions thus allow the mobiledevice to display to the user an overview of the state of a room(temperature, luminosity, concentration of CO2, etc . . . ), and theuser to enter commands to be sent to the gateway, for example one ormore temperature setpoints to reach. When the communication is performedthrough the Internet and the one or more servers 350, this even allowsthe user to control the states of rooms in a building when he/she isaway. This allows for example a user who is going for a week-end in acountry house not only to verify remotely what is the temperature,humidity etc . . . of one or more rooms in the house, but also sendcommands remotely to the system 300. For example, a user can prompt acommand to heat rooms in the house remotely, in order for the house tobe just warm enough when he/she arrives for the week-end.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the gateway 310 is alsoconnected to a heating, cooling or air conditioning device, althoughthis device is not shown in the figure. In these embodiments of theinvention, the gateway 310 is able to control the heating, cooling orair conditioning device remotely.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the system 300 alsocomprises a central lock or “exit button” 380. The central lock 380 is adevice in connection to the gateway, that is configured to let the userenter a command stop the system 300 to send commands automatically tothe windows 370, 371 or to the window shading devices. This thusactivates a manual mode, wherein the user manually presses buttons tothe remote control(s) 360, 361 to open or close the windows, or modifythe states of window shading devices. The user can also enter a commandto resume the automatic send of commands to the windows or windowshading devices. Alternatively, the user can enter commands, directly tothe gateway 310, the mobile device 320, or the command interface 330 tostop or resume the automatic send of commands to the window or windowshading devices.

FIG. 4 displays an example of a device to control one or more windowshading devices in a room in a number of embodiments of the invention.

The device 400 is configured to control one or more window shadingdevices in a room.

The device 400 comprises one or more input ports 410 to a receive atemperature setpoint T_(set), measurements T_(in) from a temperaturesensor inside the room and values of an outdoor temperature T_(out)outside the room. The one or more input ports 410 may further beconfigured to receive measurements from a concentration of CO₂ in theroom, and from a luminosity sensor in the room.

The device 400 further comprises an output port 420 to send commands tothe one or more window shading devices.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the device 400 furthercomprises a second output port 421 to send commands to a heating device.

The device 400 further comprises a processing logic 430 configured tocalculate commands to define one or more states of said one or morewindow shading devices based on one or more temperature setpointT_(set), said measurements T_(in), said values T_(out) and a roomtemperature model.

According to various embodiments of the invention, the one or moretemperature setpoints T_(set), correspond to one or more temperatures toreach, in order that the room is pleasant to the user. The one or moretemperature setpoints T_(set) may be defined in different manners. Forexample, there may be for example a single temperature setpoint, a rangeof temperature setpoints, or a minimum and a maximum temperaturesetpoints. Any suitable definition of said one or more temperaturesetpoints T_(set) is acceptable in the invention. According to thesevarious embodiments of the invention, the one or more temperaturesetpoints T_(set) may be sent to the device 400 in any suitable form.

According to various embodiments of the invention, the device 400 can bea remote control of the window shading devices, such as the remotecontrols 360, 361, or the sensor arrangement 200 in an embodimentwherein it is configured to send commands to window shading devices. Thedevice 400 then sends directly commands to window shading devices, forexample through an actuator or an electrical command.

In another embodiment of the invention, the device 400 can be anotherdevice. For example, the device 400 can be the gateway 310. In theseembodiments of the invention, the device 400 receives measurements ofindoor temperature and other physical fields from sensors in the system300, and sends commands to the window shading devices indirectly, bysending commands to the remote controls 360, 361.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the device 400 receivesmeasurements of an outdoor temperature T_(out) outside the room from atemperature sensor outside the room. In other embodiments of theinvention, the device 400 receives predictions of the outdoortemperature outside the room. For example, the device 400 can receivecurrent and/or future outdoor temperature for the room from a weatherforecast website, or any other relevant weather forecast source.

In an embodiment of the invention, the device 400 is configured to sendthe calculated commands to define one or more states of said one or morewindow shading devices through the output port 420.

In other embodiments of the invention, the device 400 is not alwaysconfigured to send the calculated commands to define one or more statesof said one or more window shading devices through the output port 420.For example, in some embodiments of the invention, a user can manuallyconfigure the device 400 to automatically send or not the commands tothe window shading devices, for example using a central lock 380. Inother embodiments of the invention, the device 400 is configured toautomatically send or not commands to the window shading devices basedon the detection of the presence of a human in the room. For example, itcan be assumed that, when a human is present in the room, he/she mayprefer entering commands manually. Thus, in an embodiment of theinvention, the commands are sent automatically when no human is presentin the room, but are not sent if a human is present in the room. Thepresence of a human can be detected using a proximity sensor. It canalso be detected using other sensors such as a CO₂ sensor, or aluminosity sensor, otherwise called light sensor. The detection of thepresence of a human in the room based on such sensors is discussed inmore details with reference to FIGS. 14a and 14 b. The rules fordetermining if commands should be automatically sent or not to windowshading devices in presence of a human can be predefined or configuredby a user, for example using a command interface 330, or a mobile device320.

FIG. 5 displays an example of parameters of a model to calculatecommands to define the state of said one or more window shading devicesin a number of embodiments of the invention.

The processing logic 430 uses a room temperature model in order tocalculate commands allowing the indoor temperature T_(in) of the room tobe as close as possible to the one or more temperature setpointsT_(set). The room model comprises a number of parameters that arerepresentative for example of the isolation between the room and theoutside, the thermal capacity of the room, or the ability of the room toabsorb solar radiations or heating power.

As highlighted above, the processing logic 430 is configured to receivevalues of indoor temperature T_(in), and values of outdoor temperatureT_(out). The room temperature model may comprise a heat transfercoefficient K, that determines the heat exchanges between the inside andthe outside of the room during a given duration. The value of the heattransfer coefficient K depends on a number of factors, such as thethickness, size, material and isolation of the walls. In an embodimentof the invention, it is also possible to have a plurality of outsidetemperatures and heat transfer coefficients, for example to model heatexchange for a plurality of walls, being either interior or exteriorwalls.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, a heat transfer coefficientis calculated as an overall heat transfer coefficient K for a wall orthe room. The heat transfer coefficient K is thus expressed in W.K⁻¹(Watt per Kelvin), or J.K⁻¹.s⁻¹ (Joule per second per Kelvin). The heattransfer coefficient thus allows a direct calculation of the heat fluxdue to the heat conduction through the wall, as a function of thedifference of temperature between the inside and the outside of theroom. The heat exchange input power can thus be defined as:

P _(T) =K*ΔT=K*(T _(out) −T _(in))

wherein P_(T) is the heat exchange input power due to heat exchange withthe outside, and ΔT is the difference of temperature between the roomand the outside.

In other embodiments of the invention, the heat transfer coefficient Kis a heat transfer coefficient per area expressed in W.K⁻¹.m⁻² (Watt perKelvin per square meter) and needs to be multiplied by the surface ofthe wall to obtain the heat transfer. With this convention, the heatexchange input power is defined as:

P _(T) =K*S*ΔT=K*S*(T _(out) −T _(in))

wherein S is the surface of the wall.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the room model comprises athermal capacity C of the room. The thermal capacity C expresses theamount of heating power that needs to be provided to the room in orderto heat the room of a given temperature, for example 1°. The thermalcapacity C can be expressed for example in Joule per Kelvin (J/K). In anumber of embodiments of the invention, it is possible to have more thanone thermal capacity C, for different configurations of the room. Forexample, different thermal capacities may be defined according to thefurniture that is present in the room, the presence of a carpet, or moregenerally according to any parameter that impact the thermal capacity ofthe room.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the room temperature modelfurther comprises timed predictions of solar radiation S_(R). The timedpredictions of solar radiation S_(R) may for example be obtained from ameteorological service, or calculated from meteorological predictionssuch as sun positions. The timed predictions of solar radiation S_(R)allow calculating the amount of input solar power P_(R) 520 that isprovided by sun radiations. There is a number of different embodimentsto calculate input solar radiation S_(R). The input solar radiationS_(R) can be calculated for example using an orientation of the room andsun position: the input solar radiation S_(R) then depends on the anglebetween the sun and a wall of the room. It is also possible to use thesize of a window to calculate input solar radiation S_(R): the largerthe window is, the more input solar power P_(R) will be transmitted. Thecalculation of input solar radiation S_(R) can, in addition, use valuesof weather-related parameters such as cloud coverage that have an impacton input solar radiation S_(R). These values may be for exampleretrieved online from a weather forecast service.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the processing logic 430 isconfigured to calculate timed predictions of input solar power P_(R),based on timed predictions of input solar radiation S_(R), and aradiation coefficient R whose value depends at least on the state of theone or more window shading devices. That is to say, the input solarpower that is provided by sunlight through radiative heat transferdepends at least on the solar radiation, and the state of window shadingdevice. The input solar power P_(R) can thus be calculated as:P_(R)=S_(R)*R. Indeed, the input solar power P_(R) 520 is proportionalto the input solar radiation. However, the radiation coefficient Rdepends on fixed factors (for example the size of a window, or thecolor, material or other properties of the room and objects in theroom), but also of the state of a window shading device: in an extremecase, the radiation coefficient R can be equal to zero, if the windowshading device completely blocks sunlight. More generally, the radiationcoefficient R is higher if a window shading device is in a “moretransparent” state (for example if a blinder or shutter has a largeraperture), and lower if a window shading device is in a “more opaque”state (for example if a blinder or shutter has a smaller aperture). In anumber of embodiments of the invention, a radiation coefficient R can becalculated for each window shading device.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the room temperature modelfurther comprises timed predictions of input heating power P_(H) thatrepresent the heating power furnished by a heating device. In a similarmanner, the room temperature model can comprise timed predictions ofcooling power that represent the cooling power of a cooling device suchas an air conditioning system.

A human being present in the room may also provide heating power to theroom. In some embodiments of the invention, a human input power P_(hum)that is provided by a human is taken into account, depending on a numberof human beings present in the room, for example using the formula:

P _(hum) =n _(hum) *H

wherein n_(hum) is the number of human beings in the room, and H a humaninput power parameter. The human input power parameter can bepredefined, or determined during a training phase. The presence of ahuman being in the room can be determined for example using a proximitysensor of a sensor of concentration of CO₂. The number of human beingsn_(hum) in the room can be determined for example by observing theevolution of the concentration of CO₂ in the room. The possibleembodiments for detecting the number of human beings in the room arefurther discussed with reference to FIGS. 11a and 11 b.

The parameters displayed in FIG. 5 are provided by means of nonlimitative example only. Other sets of parameters are possible, usingonly a subset of the parameters displayed in FIG. 5, or additional ones.A man skilled in the relevant art will be able to select adequateparameters.

In some embodiments of the invention, additional considerations maydefine the state of the one or more window shading devices. For example,the processor 220, 221, may be configured to calculate, during the daycommands to make the window shading device let some light enter the roomduring daytime (even if the window shading device are not in a fullytransparent state). The processor 220, 221 may also be configured tocalculate commands to close the window shading devices during nighttime, early in the morning and in the evening, in order to ensureprivacy of the users.

FIG. 6 displays an example of a model to calculate commands to definethe state of said one or more window shading devices in a number ofembodiments of the invention.

The processing logic receives as input timed predictions of solarradiation 610, one or more values of outdoor temperature T_(out) 611 ofthe room, and a value of indoor temperature T_(in) 612 of the room.

The processing logic is configured to control the temperature of theroom to match one or more temperature setpoints T_(set), by commandingthe state 620 of one or more window shading devices, and, in a number ofembodiments of the invention, heating or cooling power 621 provided byone or more heating, cooling or air conditioning devices. In a number ofembodiments of the invention, the processing logic may further use anypossible command that impact the temperature to control the indoortemperature of the room.

The model 600 can be executed at successive time steps. At each timestep, the state of the one or more window shading devices allowcalculating the radiation coefficient R 630, which is applied to thetimed prediction of input solar radiation 610 to obtain the input solarpower P_(R) 631. The input solar power can be calculated by:

P _(R) =R*S _(R)

Meanwhile, the difference of temperature ΔT 640 is calculated at eachtime step, by removing the indoor temperature T_(in) 612 of the roomfrom the outdoor temperature T_(out) 611 of the room. The heat exchangecoefficient K is applied to the difference of temperature ΔT 640 toobtain the heat exchange input power P_(T) 642. The heat exchange inputpower P_(T) can thus be calculated by:

P _(T) =K*ΔT=K*(T _(out) −T _(in))

The input solar power P_(R) 631, heating or cooling power P_(H) 621, andheat exchange input power P_(T) 642 are then summed to obtain the totalinput or output power P_(inout) 650 of the room at each time step:

P _(inout) =P _(H) +P _(T) +P _(R)

It shall be noted that:

-   -   P_(H) may be positive in case of a heating device, or negative        in case of a cooling/air conditioning device;    -   P_(T) may be positive if the temperature is hotter outside than        inside the room; negative if the temperature is colder outside        than inside the room;    -   P_(R) is always positive.        As a consequence, P_(inout) may be either positive or negative        based on values of P_(H), P_(T), P_(R). In embodiments of the        invention wherein other sources of input power are taken into        account, such as the human input heating power P_(hum), these        other input powers are also taken into account to calculate the        total input power P_(in).

The variation of indoor temperature {dot over (T)}_(in) 652 of the roomover the time step can then be obtained by the formula:

$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {\frac{P_{inout}}{C}*\Delta t}$

wherein P_(inout) is the total input/output power 650, C is the thermalcapacity of the room, and Δt is the duration of a time step.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the commands are calculatedat each time step, without using predictions of future values. Forexample, the processing logic can be configured to verify if the indoortemperature T_(in) of the room is below the one or more temperaturesetpoints T_(set). This verification can be performed in different way.In an embodiment wherein there is a single setpoint temperature T_(set),this can be performed by comparing the indoor temperature T_(in) withthe setpoint temperature T_(set). In embodiments wherein the one or moretemperature setpoints T_(set) are a range of values of temperature, thiscan be performed by comparing the indoor temperature T_(in) with thelower bound of the range. In embodiments wherein the one or moresetpoint temperatures T_(set) are defined by a minimum and a maximumtemperature, this can be performed by comparing the indoor temperatureT_(in) to the minimum temperature. Any other suitable embodiment can beused.

If the indoor temperature T_(in) of the room is below the one or moretemperature setpoints T_(set), the processing logic may be configuredto:

-   -   calculate a command of window shading devices, in order to have        the higher possible value of radiation coefficient R 630 (for        example, by opening shutters or blinders to let as much sunlight        as possible enter the room);    -   verify if this allows having a positive total input power P_(in)        650 (the room will heat if the total input/output power        P_(inout) 650 is positive, and cool if it is negative);    -   if the total input/output power P_(inout) 650 is negative,        calculate a command of heating devices in order to have heating        power P_(H) 621 high enough to have a positive input power        P_(inout).

This method advantageously ensures that the temperature of the room isalso expected to increase in order to reach the one or more temperaturesetpoints T_(set) (except for extreme cases, wherein the outdoortemperature is so low, or the isolation so bad, that the room will notheat up even with the maximum heating and input solar power possible).Meanwhile, this method uses solar heating whenever possible, in order toavoid as often as possible using heating devices, which are much morecostly and energy consuming to operate than window shading devices tolet the sun heat up the room.

In some embodiments of the invention, when the indoor temperature T_(in)of the room is above the one or more temperature setpoints T_(set), theprocessing logic 430 may be configured to firstly calculate a command ofwindow shading devices in order to have the lowest possible value ofradiation coefficient R 630, then, if it is not sufficient to cool theroom, a command of a cooling device to provide additional cooling power.In some embodiments of the invention, the processing logic is configuredto calculate a command of window shading devices by taking into accountboth the need to modify the radiation coefficient R, and an objective ofletting the sunlight enter the room. For example, if a state of a windowshading device has a limited impact on the radiation coefficient R (forexample if a window is oriented North), the processing logic may beconfigured to let the window shading device be in an ‘Open’ state allday long, in order to let sunlight enter the room.

In some embodiments of the invention, in order to avoid sendingalternatively opposite commands, if the indoor temperature T_(in) of theroom oscillates around the one or more temperature setpoints T_(set),the processing logic 400 is configured to calculate commands of thewindow shading devices, or heating, cooling or air conditioning devices,only if the absolute value of the difference between the indoortemperature T_(in) of the room and the setpoint temperature T_(set) isabove a threshold. Alternatively, commands may be calculated if thetemperature falls below a threshold T_(min), or rises above a thresholdT_(max).

In some embodiments of the invention, the processing logic 400 isconfigured to calculate predictions of commands of the windows shadingdevices, and/or commands of heating, cooling or air conditioning devicesfor future time steps. This allows calculating commands that are asefficient as possible for a number of successive time steps. To do so,the processing logic 400 uses timed predictions of input solar radiation610, and timed predictions of outdoor temperature T_(out) of the roomfor a number of successive time steps. It then calculates series oftimed predictions of commands of window shading devices, as well as, insome embodiments of the invention, series of timed predictions ofcommands of heating, cooling or air conditioning devices. This allowsobtaining timed series of predicted radiations coefficients R 630, andtimed series of predictions of heating or cooling power P_(H). Thisallows calculating, time step by time step, predictions of total inputpower 650, predictions of variations of temperature {dot over (T)}_(in),and predictions of indoor temperature T_(in) 612 at the next time step.It is thus possible to predict the evolution of the indoor temperatureof the room T_(in) for a number of successive time steps.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the processing logic 400 isconfigured to calculate series of predictions of commands that minimizea cost function. For example it may be configured to calculate series ofpredictions of commands that minimize the differences between indoortemperature T_(in) of the room, and the one or more temperaturesetpoints T_(set). In other embodiments of the invention, it may beconfigured to calculate series of commands that allow the temperature ofthe room remaining close to the temperature setpoint T_(set), whileusing as little power as possible, for example by using commands ofwindow shading devices rather than commands of heating/cooling/airconditioning device as often as possible. Any relevant function of costcan be built, and any known optimization algorithm can be used. Thedifference between the indoor temperature T_(in) and the one or moretemperature setpoints T_(set) can be defined as the minimum differencebetween the indoor temperature T_(in) and the one or more temperaturesetpoints T_(set), whether the one or more temperature setpoints T_(set)are a single temperature, a min/max temperature, or a range oftemperatures.

FIG. 6 displays an example with a single radiation coefficient R for asingle window shading device, a single source of heating or coolingpower, and a single transfer coefficient K for a single outdoortemperature T_(out). However, a similar model can be built for morecomplex cases, with a plurality of transfer coefficients K for aplurality of outdoor temperatures T_(out), a plurality of sources ofheating or cooling power, or a plurality of radiation coefficients R fora plurality of window shading devices. Meanwhile, other elements couldbe added or removed from the model, provided that the model allowscontrolling an indoor temperature of a room, based at least onpredictions of input solar radiation, one or more temperature setpointsT_(set), outdoor temperature, and a command of a window shading device.

A device to control the temperature of a room such as the device 400 canbe used in very different rooms, and very different environments. Eachdifferent room has for example a different thermal capacity, heattransfer coefficients of the walls, etc . . . Thus, the parameters of amodel for a room cannot be used directly for another room. There is thusthe need to tailor the values of the parameters of a model for an apriori unknown room, in order to get the best temperature controlpossible.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, all or a subset of thevalues of parameters can be calculated based on the characteristics ofthe room, for example its size, the size of the windows, or a level ofopacity of blinders or shutters. For example, a heat transfercoefficient K can be calculated for a wall based on the surface, thematerial and the width of the wall. Similarly, a thermal capacity C ofthe room can be calculated based on the volume of the room, andpredicted radiation coefficients R for different states of a windowshading device based on a surface of a window, a surface of coverage ofthe window by the window shading device, and an opacity of the windowshading device. In some embodiments of the invention, textures ormaterials inside the room can also be used to calculate radiationcoefficients R. Indeed, the amount of heat produced by radiationsabsorbed by the room may depend on how the solar radiations are absorbedby the surfaces inside the room.

In other embodiments of the invention, all or a subset of the values ofparameters are calculated during a training phase. This solutionpresents the advantage of allowing a user to install a device forcontrolling the temperature of the room of the invention, and the modelthat best suits the room is automatically calculated, without a need toperform any measurement of the room.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the parameters of themodels can be calculated by the processing logic 430. In otherembodiments of the invention, the parameters of the model can becalculated by a server, for example one of the servers 350. The serveris then configured to receive at least measurements of indoortemperature T_(in) of the room from a temperature sensor inside theroom, and values of the outdoor temperature T_(out) of the room. In someembodiments of the invention, the server is further configured toreceive additional information such as the states of the window shadingdevices. The server is then configured to calculate parameters of theroom model based on received data, and send the parameters of a systemto control the temperature of the room. A device to control the indoortemperature of the room then receives relevant values of parameters ofthe model to control the indoor temperature of the room. This solutionhas the advantage of letting a server with a lot of computing powerperform complex calculations of the parameters of the model.

In this latter case, the device 400 comprises a network connection. Itis configured to send measurements of at least indoor temperature T_(in)to a server, for example one of the servers 350. The server calculatesvalues of the parameters of the room model, and the device 400 isconfigured to receive the values of the room model using the networkconnection. The network connection can be performed through a gateway,for example the gateway 310. The training phase can be performed forexample by performing a unique series of tests. It may also consist in aplurality of series of tests. The values of parameters can then be setto the average of the values of parameters at the outputs of each seriesof tests. The training phase can be performed once, for example when thesystem 300 is put in place. It may also be performed again on demand orat regular intervals, for example every month, in order to ensure thatthe model is always representative of the room.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the training phasecomprises calculating a ratio between the thermal capacity C of the roomand the heat transfer coefficient K between the inside and the outsideof the room. This ratio can be calculated based on values of the outdoortemperature T_(out) of the room, and measurements of indoor temperatureT_(in) from the temperature sensor inside the room during night time andwithout heating. Indeed, these values can be observed when the room doesnot have a source of heat other than the heat exchange with the outsideof the room.

Indeed, as highlighted above, the thermal capacity C of the room is suchthat:

$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {\frac{P_{inout}}{C} \times \; \Delta \; t}$

In certain circumstances, it can be considered that the majorcontribution to input or output power is the heat exchange power P_(T).This is for example when there is a negligible solar input power,heating power and no human in the room. The condition of a negligibleinput solar power may be met for example in the middle of the night, ifa window shading device in a completely opaque state, or in anysituation wherein the room is not heated by solar radiations. In suchcontrolled conditions, we may express the derivative of the indoortemperature of the room as:

$\overset{.}{T_{\iota n}} = {\frac{P_{T}}{C} \times \; \Delta \; t}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota n}} = {\frac{K}{C} \times \; \Delta \; T}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota n}} = {\frac{K}{C} \times \left( {T_{in} - T_{out}} \right)}$

It is possible to express the variation of the indoor temperature of theroom, by integrating the equation above over time t. For example, uponthe hypothesis above, the difference between the indoor temperatureT_(in1) at a first time t₁, and the indoor temperature T_(in2) at asecond time t₂ can be calculated as:

${T_{in2} - T_{in1}} = {{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}}(t)}} = {{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{\frac{K}{C} \times \left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}} = {\frac{K}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}}}}$

Therefore, it is possible to calculate the ratio

$\frac{K}{c}$

as:

$\frac{K}{C} = \frac{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}{T_{in2} - T_{in1}}$

All the values T_(in)(t), T_(out)(t), T_(in2), T_(in1) can be obtainedusing measurements or a weather forecast source, for example a weatherforecast website. Advantageously, this allows calculating a ratio K/C ofparameters of the room temperature model without any a priori knowledgeof the characteristics of the room. This allows a fast, effective andcost-efficient deployment of devices 400 to control one or more windowshading devices of the invention, in a number of very different rooms.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the training phase maycomprise calculating a thermal capacity C of the room using inputheating power P_(H) provided by a heating, cooling or air conditioningdevice. Under the assumption that the input heating power of a P_(H)heating, cooling or air conditioning device in the room can be set andcontrolled, it is possible to perform measurements of indoor temperatureof the room during nighttime. In absence of solar input power, the twosources of input power are heat exchanges and the heating power of theheating, cooling or air conditioning device. Using the same notations asabove, the derivative {dot over (T)}_(in) of the indoor temperature overtime is:

$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {\frac{P_{in}}{C} \times \; \Delta \; t}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {\frac{P_{T} + P_{H}}{C} \times \; \Delta \; t}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {{\frac{K}{c} \times {\Delta T}} + \frac{P_{H}}{c}}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {{\frac{K}{c} \times \left( {T_{in} - T_{out}} \right)} + \frac{P_{H}}{c}}$

The difference between the indoor temperature T_(in1) at a first timet₁, and the indoor temperature T_(in2) at a second time t₂ can becalculated as:

${T_{in2} - T_{in1}} = {{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\overset{.}{T_{\iota n}(t)}} = {{{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{\frac{K}{C} \times \left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}} + {\frac{P_{H}(t)}{C}T_{in2}} - T_{in1}} = {{\frac{K}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}} + {\frac{1}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{P_{H}(t)}}}}}}$

Thus the thermal capacity C of the room is such that:

${{\frac{1}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{P_{H}(t)}}} = {T_{in2} - T_{in1} - {\frac{K}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}}}}{\frac{1}{C} = \frac{T_{in2} - T_{in1} - {\frac{K}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}}}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{P_{H}(t)}}}{C = \frac{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{P_{H}(t)}}{T_{in2} - T_{in1} - {\frac{K}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}}}}$

All the values T_(in)(t), T_(out)(t), T_(in2), T_(in1) can be obtainedusing measurements or meteorological predictions. The ratio

$\frac{K}{c}$

can be calculated as defined previously, and the input heating powerP_(H)(t) is controlled and known at every time t. This thusadvantageously allows calculating the thermal capacity C of the room inthe room temperature model without any a priori knowledge of thecharacteristics of the room. The heat transfer coefficient K can bededuced directly from the ratio

$\frac{K}{c},$

and the thermal capacity C of the room. This allows a fast, effectiveand cost-efficient deployment of devices 400 to control of one or morewindow shading devices in a room of the invention, in a number of verydifferent rooms.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the radiation coefficient Rfor a state of a window shading device can be also calculated during thetraining phase. This can be for example performed by observing theindoor temperature T_(in) of the room during day time. In absence ofheating power, the variations of indoor temperature of the room are dueto heat exchange power, and the input solar power P_(R). In the examplebelow, the radiation coefficient R for a state of a window shadingdevice is calculated using only heat exchange in input solar power. Inother embodiments of the invention, it is also possible to calculate theradiation coefficient R when a heating, cooling or air conditioningdevice is ON in the room, provided that the input heating power P_(H)(t)can be controlled, known and taken into account at any time t.

The radiation coefficient R for a state of the window shading device canbe calculated by setting the windows shading device to the state betweena time t₁ and a time t₂, and observing the evolution of the indoortemperature of the room. Using the same notations as above, and withoutheating power, the derivative {dot over (T)}_(in) of the indoortemperature of the room is:

$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {\frac{P_{in}}{C} \times \; \Delta \; t}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {\frac{P_{T} + P_{R}}{C} \times \; \Delta \; t}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {{\frac{K}{c} \times \Delta \; T} + \frac{P_{R}}{c}}$$\overset{.}{T_{\iota \; n}} = {{\frac{K}{c} \times \left( {T_{in} - T_{out}} \right)} + \frac{R*S_{R}}{c}}$

The difference between the indoor temperature T_(in1) at a first timet₁, and the indoor temperature T_(in2) at a second time t₂ can beexpressed as:

${T_{in2} - T_{in1}} = {{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\overset{.}{T_{\iota n}(t)}} = {{{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{\frac{K}{C} \times \left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}} + {R*\frac{S_{R}(t)}{C}T_{in2}} - T_{in1}} = {{\frac{K}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}} + {R*\frac{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{S_{R}(t)}}{C}}}}}$

Thus the radiative coefficient R for the state of the window shadingdevice is such that:

${{R*\frac{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{S_{R}(t)}}{C}} = {T_{in2} - T_{in1} - {\frac{K}{C}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}}}}{R = \frac{{C\left( {T_{in2} - T_{in1}} \right)} - {K*{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}}}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{S_{R}(t)}}}$

If a heating, cooling or air conditioning device is ON in the roombetween t₁ and t₂, this formula can be generalized as:

$R = \frac{{C\left( {T_{in2} - T_{in1}} \right)} - {K*{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\left( {{T_{in}(t)} - {T_{out}(t)}} \right)}} - {\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{P_{H}(t)}}}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{S_{R}(t)}}$

All the values T_(in)(t), T_(out)(t), T_(in2), T_(in1), S_(R)(t),P_(H)(t) can be obtained using measurements or meteorologicalpredictions. The values of K and C can be calculated as definedpreviously. This advantageously allows calculating the radiativecoefficient R for a state of the window shading device without any apriori knowledge of the characteristics of the room of the windowshading device. This allows a fast, effective and cost-efficientdeployment of devices 400 to control one or more window shading devicesin a room of the invention, in a number of very different rooms.

In an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to calculate aradiative coefficient R for each state of a window shading device usingthe method explained above. In some embodiments of the invention, awindow shading device can have a large number of different states. Forexample, the state of roller blinds that slide along a window can bedefined as a position, for example the length that actually blinds thewindow, in a range of continuous positions. Using this convention, theroller blind does not blind the window at all for a position 0, blindsthe whole window at a maximum position, and may take any position inbetween. It would thus be a cumbersome task to calculate the radiativecoefficient R corresponding to each possible position during thetraining phase.

However, it may be possible for some window shading devices to expressthe radiative coefficient R for some state based on the radiativecoefficient R for some other states. In the example above, the radiativecoefficient R may for example be calculated as a linear function of theposition of the rolling blinder (it is thus assumed that the radiativecoefficient R is a linear function of the surface of the window that isnot blinded). In a number of embodiments of the invention, the values ofthe radiative coefficient R for each state of the window shading deviceis calculated as a function of the state of the window shading deviceby:

-   -   calculating the radiative coefficient R for at least two        different states of the window shading device based at least on        observations of the evolution of the indoor temperature of the        room when the window shading device is in each state;    -   performing a linear regression of the radiative coefficient as a        function of a value defining the state of the window shading        device.

This allows a quick and efficient definition of the radiativecoefficient R of the window shading device, for all possible statesthereof.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the room comprises aplurality of window shading devices. In an embodiment of the invention,a global radiative coefficient R is calculated for all the windowshading devices. In other embodiments of the invention, a radiativecoefficient R₁, R₂, R₃, . . . is calculated for each window shadingdevice. It is possible to calculate each radiative coefficient for eachwindow shading device, by performing, for each window shading device, atleast two series of measurements of indoor temperature, for twodifferent states, while all the other window shading devices keep thesame state, in order to identify the contribution of each window shadingdevice to the input power of the room.

The examples above have been defined for a room temperature model with 3parameters: thermal capacity C, heat transfer coefficient K, andradiative coefficient R. In other embodiments of the invention, the roomtemperature model may be defined by other coefficients. However, thesecoefficients could be calculated during a training phase by applying thesame principles, while using different equations.

FIGS. 7a and 7b displays two examples of evolution of the indoortemperature of a room comprising a device in an embodiment of theinvention, respectively in summer and winter.

In the examples of FIGS. 7a and 7 b, a device of the invention, forexample the device 400, is configured to calculate commands of shutters,the commands consisting in a percentage of opening of a shutter. Thepercentage of opening allows opening more or less the shutter, betweenvalues of 0% (shutter completely closed), and 100% (shutter completelyopen). The commands may be calculated using any embodiment of theinvention, for example the model 600.

FIG. 7a displays a first example of evolution of the indoor temperatureof this room, in summer.

FIG. 7a displays the evolution of indoor temperature T_(in) in the curve710 a, that represents the indoor temperature T_(in) (vertical axis 703a) as a function of time (horizontal axis 701 a/702 a), and theconcurrent evolution of the luminosity in the room in the curve 720 a,that represents the luminosity in the room (vertical axis 705 a) as afunction of time (horizontal axis 701 a/702 a). The luminosity in theroom can be for example measured using a luminosity sensor. A device 400of the invention in the room is configured to calculate commands of ashutter. The successive commands are represented by the bars 730 a thatrepresent the percentage of opening of the shutter (vertical axis 704 a)as a function of time (horizontal axis 701 a/702 a).

The indoor temperature is initially at the lower bound of the range ofsetpoint temperatures 711 a. In the morning, the luminosity is low 721a. Thus the heat provided by sun radiations is low, and the processinglogic calculates a command to open the shutter at 100% 731 a, in orderto get the maximum possible heat from solar radiations. The temperatureincreases slowly 712 a.

Around noon, the luminosity, and heat provided by sun radiationsincreases 722 a. The indoor temperature starts increasing rapidly 713 a,until reaching 714 a the upper bound 741 a of the comfort temperatureinterval. The processing logic 430 then calculates commands to nearlyclose 732 a, then completely close 733 a the shutter. In absence of heatprovided by sun radiations, the indoor temperature decreases 715 a toreach the middle of the comfort temperature interval.

During the afternoon, the luminosity, and solar radiations, decrease 723a. The processing logic 430 calculates commands to progressively openthe shutter 734 a, 735 a. The input solar radiation thus provided allowlimiting 716 a the decrease of indoor temperature in the afternoon, inorder than the indoor temperature remain in the comfort temperatureinterval all day long.

FIG. 7b displays a second example of evolution of the indoor temperatureof this room, in winter.

FIG. 7b displays the evolution of indoor temperature T_(in) in the curve710 b, that represents the indoor temperature T_(in) (vertical axis 703b) as a function of time (horizontal axis 701 b/702 b), and theconcurrent evolution of the luminosity in the room in the curve 720 b,that represents the luminosity in the room (vertical axis 705 b) as afunction of time (horizontal axis 701 b/702 b). The luminosity in theroom can be for example measured using a luminosity sensor. A device 400of the invention in the room is configured to calculate commands of ashutter. The successive commands are represented by the bars 730 b thatrepresent the percentage of opening of the shutter (vertical axis 704 b)as a function of time (horizontal axis 701 b/702 b).

At the end of the night, the sunlight, and solar radiations, are low 721b. The shutter is closed 731 b, and the temperature of the roomprogressively decreases. When the solar luminosity, and solarradiations, start increasing significantly, the processing logic 430calculates commands to progressively open the shutters 732 b, 733 b. Thetemperature then increases 712 b as the room is heated by solarradiations.

The luminosity, and thus solar radiations decreases 723 b. When thesolar radiations start being low, the processing logic calculatescommands to close the shutter 734 b, 735 b. The temperatureprogressively decreases 713 b. This allows the indoor temperature of theroom being heat as much as possible by sunlight, while letting theshutter closed during the night, for the convenience of the user.

The examples discussed with reference to FIGS. 7a and 7b demonstratesthe ability of the invention to control the temperature of a room bycontrolling a window shading device.

FIG. 8 displays a flowchart of a method to control the temperature of aroom in a number of embodiments of the invention.

The method 800 is a method to control the temperature of a roomaccording to one or more temperature setpoints T_(set).

The method 800 comprises a first step 810 of receiving measurements ofan indoor temperature of the room T_(in) measured by a temperaturesensor inside the room.

The method 800 further comprises a second step 820 of receiving valuesof an outdoor temperature T_(out) of the room.

The method 800 further comprises a third step 830 of calculatingcommands to define one or more states of one or more window shadingdevices based on said one or more temperature setpoints T_(set) and aroom temperature model.

All embodiments discussed above and below in relation to a device tocontrol the temperature of a room can be applied to the method 800 tocontrol the temperature of the room of the invention.

FIG. 9 displays an example of a device to control one or more windows ina room in a number of embodiments of the invention.

There is a number of cases wherein there is a need to lower the humidityon a room. For example, when a user just took a shower in a bathroom,the bathroom is usually very wet, and the level of humidity needs toquickly drop, in order to avoid damages due to humidity, such asmoistures, in the room. Moreover, a persistent humidity in a room mayprovoke an uncomfortable sensation for users of the bathroom.

A straightforward solution to lower the humidity of a room is to openone or more windows in the room. However, the windows cannot beconstantly open. Indeed, there are a number of issues to manage whenopening or closing such a window. Indeed, an open window may createstrong heat exchanges with the outside of the room. Thus, if it is coldoutside, the room may be excessively cold if the window remains open toolong. It may also be desirable to wait for a user to leave the roombefore opening the window, if the outside temperature is cold.Similarly, the outdoor weather may also be taken in consideration fordeciding to open or not the window. For example, the window may remainopen for a shorter duration, if the outside weather is very wet orrainy. In some cases, it may also be desirable to wait that rain stopsbefore opening the window, for example if the window is a roof window,and the rain a heavy rain. An excessive humidity in the room may causehydrometric damages, such as moisture. Meanwhile, a room that is eithertoo humid or too cold may cause an unpleasant experience to the user.There is therefore the need to control windows in a room, in order toensure at the same time that the humidity of a room remains at anacceptable level for a user, and that the room is not too cold,especially if a user is inside.

It may be desirable to control window for controlling other physicalfields, such as for example a concentration of CO₂ in the room. Anexcessive concentration of CO₂ may be disturbing for human beings. Itmay for example cause troubles of concentration, or make human feelexcessively tired. In extreme cases, an excessive concentration of CO₂may even cause a danger of death.

In order to solve these issues, the device 900 is configured to controlone or more windows in a room.

In some aspects, the invention consists in controlling one or morewindow based on a setpoint P_(set) of a physical field, and indoormeasurements P_(in) of the physical field from a sensor inside the room.Some embodiments of the invention relate to the control of humidity inthe room: the physical field is humidity, the setpoint P_(set) of thephysical field is a humidity setpoint H_(set), and the indoormeasurements P_(in) of the physical field are humidity measurementsH_(in) from a humidity sensor inside the room. Some embodiments of theinvention relate to the control of a concentration of CO₂ in the room:the physical field is a concentration of CO2, the setpoint P_(set) ofthe physical field is a setpoint C_(set) of a concentration of CO2, andthe indoor measurements P_(in) of the physical field are measurementsC_(in) of concentration of CO₂ from a CO₂ sensor inside the room. Thedescription above mostly relates to the control of humidity. However, itmay apply, mutadis mutantis to other physical fields, such as theconcentration of CO₂, or other physical fields.

The device 900 can be used to control windows of any type, such as roofwindows or wall windows. The windows may also have different actuatorsor means to open or close. For example the windows may open or close byrotating around an axis, or sliding along a guide. In some embodimentsof the invention, it is only possible to define an open or close stateof the one or more windows. In other embodiments of the invention, afine control of windows is possible. It is possible for example tocontrol the angle between a roof window and its frame.

The device 900 comprises one or more input ports 910 to receive one ormore humidity setpoints H_(set), and indoor humidity measurements H_(in)from a humidity sensor inside the room. The one or more input ports 910may further be configured to receive measurements from a temperaturesensor inside the room, a concentration of CO₂ in the room, from aluminosity sensor in the room, a temperature sensor outside the room, ahumidity sensor outside the room, or meteorological predictions. The oneor more humidity setpoints can correspond to levels of humidity that isdesirable to maintain a pleasant atmosphere, and avoiding damages due tohumidity in a room. According to various embodiments of the invention,there may be for example a single humidity setpoint, a range of humiditysetpoints, a minimum and a maximum humidity setpoints, or any suitabledefinition of humidity setpoints.

According to various embodiments of the invention, the one or morehumidity setpoints H_(set) may be either predefined, or user-defined,for example using the mobile device 320, or the command interface 330.The one or more humidity setpoints 330 may be set to humidity levelsthat are considered as pleasant for the user, or to a threshold ofhumidity that may not cause any damage to the room. The humiditysetpoint H_(set) may also be adapted during the use of the device 900.For example, the indoor humidity values H_(in) may be registered eachtime a user manually opens a window of the room, in order to learn thelevels of humidity that a given user considers as pleasant or not. It isalso possible to learn a threshold of outside temperature that a userconsiders as pleasant or not.

The device 900 further comprises an output port 920 to send commands tothe one or more windows.

The device 900 further comprises a processing logic 930 configured tocalculate commands to define one or more states of said one or morewindows based at least on said one or more humidity setpoints H_(set),said indoor humidity measurements H_(in), and a detection of one of apresence or an absence of a human being in the room.

The presence or absence or a human in the room can be detected usingdifferent methods, for example using a proximity sensor, the evolutionof a concentration of CO₂, or a luminosity sensor. Methods to detect thepresence or absence of a human in the room are discussed in more detailswith reference to FIGS. 11a and 11 b.

This allows the device 900 to send commands to open the window if thehumidity in the room is above the one or more humidity setpoints, butalso taking into account the presence or absence of a human in the room.

According to various embodiments of the invention, the device 900 can bea remote control of the window shading devices, such as the remotecontrols 360, 361, or the sensor arrangement 200 in an embodimentwherein it is configured to send commands windows. The device 900 thensends directly commands to window shading devices, for example throughan actuator or an electrical command.

In other embodiments of the invention, the device 900 can be anotherdevice. For example, the device 900 can be the gateway 310. In theseembodiments of the invention, the device 900 receives measurements ofindoor temperature and other physical fields from sensors in the system300, and sends commands to the windows indirectly, by sending commandsto the remote controls 360, 361.

In an embodiment of the invention, the device 900 is always configuredto send the calculated commands to define one or more states of said oneor more windows through the output port 920.

In some embodiments of the invention, the device 900 is not alwaysconfigured to send the calculated commands to define one or more statesof said one windows through the output port 920. For example, in someembodiments of the invention, a user can manually configure the device900 to automatically send or not the commands to the windows, forexample using a central lock 380.

A number of rules are possibly implemented to control the windows. Forexample, the processing logic can be configured to calculate commands toopen the window, if the indoor humidity measurements H_(in) are abovethe one or more humidity setpoints H_(set), and the absence of a humanbeing in the room is detected. This allows opening the room if thehumidity in the room is too high, but only if there is nobody in theroom. For example, at the moment wherein a user just took a shower, thehumidity in the room is high. Thus, the device 900 allows openingautomatically the window, once the user left the room. The humidity thendecreases due to air exchange with the outside air, without causing anydiscomfort of the user, because the window is open when he/she is not inthe room.

Conversely, in a number of embodiments of the invention, the processinglogic 930 can be configured to calculate commands to close the window,if the indoor humidity measurements H_(in) are below the one or morehumidity setpoints H_(set). This allows closing the window as soon asthe humidity falls below the one or more humidity setpoints.

In other embodiments of the invention, other rules can be defined toclose the window. For example, the processing logic can be configured toclose the window if the humidity measurements H_(in) are below a secondhumidity setpoint H_(set2). This allows a finer control of humidity inthe room.

The second humidity setpoint H_(set2) can be determined for examplebased on measurements/values from a weather forecast of outdoor humidityH_(out), or measurements of outdoor temperature T_(out). For example,the second humidity setpoint H_(set2) could be set to a higher value ifthe outdoor air is colder, more humid, if it is raining or if theweather is windy. Thus, the window will be closed sooner if the outdoorair is colder or more humid, in order not to cool the room too much.

In some embodiments of the invention, the processing logic 930 isconfigured to calculate commands to close the window, if the window isopen, and the presence of a human in the room is detected. Thus, if auser has left the room after a shower and the window is open, and theuser re-enters the room, the processing logic 930 can be configured toclose the window.

The rules of generation of the commands can thus be tailored to providethe most comfortable result for the user.

In some embodiments of the invention, the processing logic 930 isconfigured, when sending a command to open a window, to calculate aduration of opening of the window, based at least on the indoor humiditymeasurements H_(in), and one of an outside humidity H_(out) or anoutside temperature T_(out). This allows calculating, as soon as thewindow is opened, the best suited duration to reduce the humidity of theroom, while ensuring that the room will not be too cold, or that theoutside is not too humid.

For example, the processing logic 930 may be configured to calculate aduration that would take into account the time to have the humidityH_(in) of the room fall below the one or more humidity setpointsH_(set), and lower this duration in case of cold outside temperatureT_(out), or high outside humidity H_(out). Similarly, the duration ofopening may be reduced, if it is detected that it is raining outside.The processing logic 930 is then configured to generate a command toopen the window when the target duration is reached.

In some embodiments of the invention, some additional conditions, orcommands, may be added. For example, in the case of a concentration ofCO₂, the processing logic 930 may compare the concentration of CO₂ inthe room to a danger threshold, representative of the threshold abovewhich a concentration of CO₂ starts becoming dangerous for a humanbegin, and calculate a command to open the window in case of dangerousconcentration of CO₂, whatever the other parameters such as outsidetemperature or humidity.

The embodiments discussed above can be combined to provide the bestsuited rules for opening or closing a window, and control the humidity,or another physical field such as the concentration of CO₂ in a room.

FIG. 10 displays an example of decision tree to control one or morewindows in a room in a number of embodiments of the invention.

The example displayed in FIG. 10 represents tests that may be performedby the processing logic 930 to calculate commands to open or close awindow in a number of embodiments of the invention. In this example thewindow is a roof window in a bathroom.

This is represented in the form of a tree 1000. The tree 1000 isprovided by means of non-limitative example only. Other trees or othertypes of tests may be used, with different tests, in differentembodiments of the invention.

A first test 1010 consists in comparing a measurement of indoor humidityH_(in) to a threshold that can be for example a humidity setpointH_(set).

If the indoor humidity H_(in) is below the humidity threshold, theprocessing logic calculates a command to close the window 1011. Thus thewindow is or remains closed when the humidity is low.

If the indoor humidity H_(in) is above the humidity threshold, a secondtest 1020 is performed, to compare a measured concentration of CO₂ inthe room to a first threshold of CO₂ concentration.

If the measured concentration of CO₂ in the room is below the firstthreshold of CO₂ concentration, the processing logic 930 is configuredto calculate a command to close the window 1021.

If the measured concentration of CO₂ in the room is above the firstthreshold of CO₂ concentration, a third test 1030 is performed, toverify if the measured concentration of CO₂ in the room is decreasing.

If the measured concentration of CO₂ in the room is not decreasing, theprocessing logic 930 is configured to calculate a command 1031 to closethe window.

If the measured concentration of CO₂ in the room is decreasing, a fourthtest 1040 is performed to verify if the concentration of CO₂ is below asecond threshold of CO₂ concentration.

If the measured concentration of CO₂ is not below the second thresholdof CO₂ concentration, the processing logic 930 is configured tocalculate a command 1041 to close the window.

If the measured concentration of CO₂ is below the second threshold ofCO₂ concentration, the processing logic 930 is configured to calculate acommand 1041 to close the window.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first threshold of CO₂concentration corresponds to a threshold that can be reached only if auser being has been in the room for a significant amount of time, andthe second threshold of CO₂, which is higher than the first, correspondsto a concentration of CO₂ which corresponds to a strong probability of auser being still being in the room.

Conversely, it is assumed than the concentration of CO2 is more or lessstable at a low level when no user has been in the room for a long time;is more or less stable at a high level when a user has been in the roomfor a long time; increases when it is at a low level and a user is inthe room and decreases when it is at a high level and no user is in theroom.

The processing logic 930 is thus configured to calculate the command1042 to open the window only if:

-   -   the indoor humidity of the room is above a humidity threshold        (first test 1010);    -   the concentration of CO₂ in the room is above the first        threshold (second test 1020). This means that a user is or has        been recently in the room;    -   the concentration of CO₂ in the room is decreasing (third test        1030), while being below the second threshold of concentration        of CO₂ (fourth test 1040). That means that the user is not in        the room anymore. The comparison with the second threshold        allows disambiguating the decrease of CO2 concentration, and        ensure that it is not a natural variation around a high value,        when the user is still in the bathroom;

Thus, the window will be opened only if a user has been recently in thebathroom, and the bathroom is humid, that is to say of the user took ashower and left the bathroom. In all other situations, the processinglogic 930 calculates commands to close the window. Thus, the command ofthe window according to the decision tree 1000 allows the processinglogic to open the window only when the user took a shower then left, inorder to reduce the humidity of the bathroom.

The tree 1000 is provided by means of example only, and similar treesmay be defined, for example to control the concentration of CO₂ in theroom.

FIG. 11 displays an example of evolution of humidity in a room in anumber of embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 11 displays the evolution of indoor humidity H_(in) in the curve1110, that represents the indoor humidity H_(in) (in percentage,vertical axis 1102) as a function of time (horizontal axis 1101), andthe concurrent evolution of the concentration of CO₂ in the room in thecurve 1120, that represents the concentration of CO₂ in the room(vertical axis 1103) as a function of time (horizontal axis 1101). Theconcentration of CO₂ in the room can be for example measured using aconcentration of CO₂ sensor. A device 900 of the invention in the roomcomprised a processing logic 930 configured to calculate commands of awindow. The successive commands are represented by the bars 1130 thatrepresent the percentage of opening of the window (in percentage,vertical axis 1102) as a function of time (horizontal axis 1101). Thewindow is initially closed 1131.

The indoor humidity H_(in) is initially fairly constant at a low level1111, as well as the concentration of CO₂ 1121. A user enters the room1122; the concentration of CO₂ in the room starts rising 1123.

A short time later, the user starts taking a shower 1112; the indoorhumidity H_(in) in the room starts rising rapidly 1113. When the userfinishes his/her shower, and leaves the room, the concentration of CO₂starts dropping 1124, while the indoor humidity H_(in) keeps rising, butat a moderate rate 1114.

At time 1104, the processing logic 930 detects that the room isexcessively humid, and that the user left the room, since theconcentration of CO₂ in the room is decreasing. It then calculatescommands 1132, 1133 to open the window.

The window being open, the indoor humidity, and the concentration of CO₂in the room falls 1125, 1115.

Once the indoor humidity became low again 1126, the processing logic 930calculates a command to close the window 1134. The indoor humidity 1116,and the concentration of CO₂ in the room 1127 are then stabilized at alow level.

This example demonstrates the ability of the invention to reach a numberof objectives:

-   -   the indoor humidity in the room is decreased towards a low level        as soon as possible;    -   the window is not open when the user is in the room;    -   the window remains open just as little time as necessary, in        order not to cool the room with outdoor air;    -   the process is totally automatic. The user does not have to        think about opening or closing the window.

FIG. 12 displays an example of a flowchart of a method to control aphysical field in a room in a number of embodiments of the invention.

The method 1000 is a method to control a physical field in a roomaccording to one or more setpoints P_(set) of the physical field.

The method 1200 comprises a first step 1210 of receiving indoormeasurements of the physical field from a sensor inside the room.

The method 1200 further comprises a second step 1220 of calculatingcommands to define one or more states of one or more windows based atleast on said one or more setpoints P_(set), said indoor measurementsP_(in) of the physical field, and a detection of one of a presence or anabsence of a human being in the room.

All the embodiments discussed above can be applied to the method 1200.For example, the physical field may be the humidity of the room, or theconcentration of CO₂ in the room.

FIGS. 13a and 13b display two examples of detection of the presence of ahuman in a room, respectively using a concentration of CO2 and lightintensity, in a number of embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 13a displays a series of measurements 1300 a of concentration ofCO₂ in a room, and FIG. 13b displays a series of measurements 1300 b ofluminosity in a room.

The determination of the presence or absence of humans can be performedfor example by the processing logic 430 or 930, based on inputmeasurements received using one or more input ports 410 or 910. In anumber of embodiments of the invention, the presence of a human isdetected by a proximity sensor.

In some embodiments of the invention, the presence of a human can bedetected using measurements of a concentration of CO₂ from aconcentration of CO₂ sensor in the room.

As can be seen in FIG. 13 a, the concentration of CO₂ is at first fairlyconstant 1301 a. It then increases 1311 a from time 1310 a, untilreaching a maximum 1320 a. It then decreases 1320 a until a point 1330a, then remains again fairly constant 1331 a.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, the processing logic 430 or930 is configured to detect that one or more humans are present in theroom, if the concentration of CO₂ increases, and that no human ispresent in the room otherwise. Indeed, when a human is present in theroom, he/she breathes, and thus consumes O₂ and produces CO₂. However,other events may cause small variations of CO₂ concentration in theroom. In a number of embodiments of the invention, the processing logic430 or 930 is configured to detect that one or more humans are presentin the room, if the variation of concentration of CO₂ is above athreshold, and that no human is present in the room otherwise. Thethreshold can be set to be high enough to ensure that the rise of CO₂concentration is due to the presence of a human being, and is not due toa small variation of the concentration of CO₂, that may have anothercause.

In some embodiments of the invention, the processing logic is configuredto detect the number of humans in the room, based on the speed ofincrease of the concentration of CO₂ in the room. Indeed, the morehumans will be in the room, the faster is the concentration of CO₂expected to increase. The processing logic 430 or 930 can be for exampleconfigured to compare the speed of increase of the concentration of CO₂to a speed of increase of concentration of CO₂ per human in order todetermine the number of humans present in the room.

The speed of increase of concentration of CO₂ per human depends upon thevolume of the room. Indeed, in a given circumstances, for example, whenhe/she is taking a shower, a human produces a fairly constant amount ofCO₂. Thus the corresponding increase of CO₂ concentration depends on thevolume of the room. In a number of embodiments of the invention, theprocessing logic is configured to use a predefined speed of increase ofconcentration of CO₂ per human, that may be for example representativeof an average speed of increase of concentration of CO₂ per human, or anaverage speed of increase of concentration of CO₂ per human for a typeof room. For example, one can use the assumption that each type of room(bathroom, bedroom, living room . . . ) has an average size, and use apredefined speed of increase of concentration of CO₂ per human for atype of room.

In other embodiments of the invention, a speed of increase ofconcentration of CO₂ per human can be calculated based oncharacteristics of the room. In an embodiment of the invention, if thevolume of the room is known, a corresponding speed of increase ofconcentration of CO₂ per human can be calculated. In other embodimentsof the invention, a thermal capacity C of the room is known orcalculated. The thermal capacity of the room is highly correlated withthe volume of the room, thus, an approximate volume of the room can becalculated based on the thermal capacity C of the room, and a speed ofincrease of concentration of CO₂ per human can be calculated accordingto the approximate volume of the room.

In yet other embodiments of the invention, a speed of increase ofconcentration of CO₂ per human can be calculated during a trainingphase, wherein a single human is asked to enter the room alone, closethe windows and doors of the room, and remain in the room for a periodof time. The speed of increase of concentration of CO₂ during thatperiod of time can be measured and stored to serve for future uses.

The processing logic can thus be configured to determine that a human ispresent in the room, for example when the concentration of CO₂ increases1311 a.

In some embodiments of the invention, the presence of a human can bedetected using measurements of luminosity from a luminosity sensor inthe room.

As can be seen in FIG. 13 b, the luminosity of the room is at firstfairly constant 1301 b. It then increases 1311 b from time 1310 b, untiltime 1320 b, at which it starts a plateau phase 1321 b. From the time1330 b it decreases very rapidly 1311 b until time 1340 b, beforestarting a second plateau phase 1341 b.

The sudden luminosity variations in the room are representative of alight being ON or OFF in the room. This allows a device of the inventiondetecting the presence of absence of a human in the room, making theassumption that a light ON is representative of a human being present inthe room. For example, it can be deduced from the series of measurementsof luminosity 1300 b that a light is ON in the room, and thus a humanpresent, during the plateau phase 1321 b.

In some embodiments of the invention, the detection of a human in theroom can be performed by comparing the variations of luminosity to oneor more thresholds. If the processing logic 430 or 930 detects that theluminosity quickly increased for a short time (that is for example thecase between times 1310 b and 1320 b), it detects that a human enteredthe room. On the other hand, if the processing logic 430 or 930 detectsthat the luminosity quickly dropped in a short time (that is for examplethe case between times 1330 b and 1340 b), it can detect that a humanleft the room.

All the embodiments described above regarding the detection of thepresence or absence of human in the room are not mutually exclusive, andcan be combined. For example, it is possible to perform at least twotests of presence of human in the room, in a group of tests comprisingat least a test based on a proximity sensor, a test based on aconcentration of CO₂, and a test based on luminosity, and detect thepresence of a human if at least one test is positive. It is alsopossible to disambiguate the result of a test with the result of anotherone. For example, it is possible to detect the presence of a human onlyif all the tests detect the presence of a human, or a majority of testsdetect the presence of a human in the room. A skilled man may considerall the possibly available combinations of tests.

The examples described above are given as illustrations of embodimentsof the invention. They do not in any way limit the scope of theinvention which is defined by the following claims.

1. A device to control one or more window related devices in a room, thedevice comprising: one or more input ports to a receive one or moresetpoints of a physical field, and indoor measurements of the physicalfield from a sensor inside the room; an output port configured to sendcommands to the one or more windows related devices; a processing logicconfigured to calculate commands to define one or more states of saidone or more windows related devices based at least on said one or moresetpoints of the physical field, and said indoor measurements of thephysical field.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing logicis further configured to calculate commands to define one or more statesof said one or more windows related devices based on a detection of oneof a presence or an absence of a human being in the room.
 3. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the processing logic is configured to calculatecommands to set one or more states of one or more window related devicesto an open state, if the indoor measurements of the physical field areabove the one or more setpoints of the physical filed, and the absenceof a human being in the room is detected.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein the processing logic is configured to calculate an openingduration, based at least on the indoor measurements of the physicalfield, and one of an outside humidity or an outside temperature.
 5. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the processing logic is further configured tocalculate commands to close the window related device, if the indoormeasurements of the physical field are below the one or more humiditysetpoints of the physical field.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein saidphysical field is humidity, and said sensor is a humidity sensor.
 7. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein said physical field is a concentration ofCO₂, and said sensor is a concentration of CO₂ sensor.
 8. A Method tocontrol a physical field in a room according to one or more setpoints ofthe physical field, said method comprising: receiving indoormeasurements of the physical field (P_(in)) from a sensor inside theroom; calculating commands to define one or more states of one or morewindow related devices based at least on said one or more setpoints ofthe physical field, said indoor measurements of a physical field.
 9. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein said device is a window shading controller.10. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more window relateddevices comprise one or more windows.
 11. The device of claim 10,wherein said device is configured to send to the windows commands toswitch between an open and a closed position.
 12. The device of claim 1,wherein said output port is configured to send the commands indirectlyto the one or more window related devices, by sending the commands to aremote control.
 13. The device of claim 1, further configured to sendcommands to the one or more window shading devices, only when it isallowed by a configuration of a central lock in communication with thedevice, said configuration being manually defined by a user on thecentral lock.